How To Insulate A Garage Door | Do It Yourself

Recent Articles

Should I Add Additional
 Insulation To My Walls?

Should I Insulate
 The Wall Plates?

Blowing Insulation Over 
Recessed Lights

Ventilated Attic 
Access Covers

Insulating An Attic 
With No Access Hole

Adding Additional Attic 
Insulation Over Fiberglass Batts

Skylight Covers To
 Reduce Air Infiltration

Do I need a vapor barrier?

Insulating Over Knob and
Tube Wiring

Vapor Barriers On
Basement Concrete Walls

Insulating The Ridge Of
Cathedral Ceilings

Adding Insulation 
Over Vermiculite

How To Insulate A Garage Door

Phil Y. from St. Paul, MN wrote:

Hi Itchy,

Winter is coming soon. Last year I insulated my garage walls and ceiling but I still have cold air coming in from the garage door. What's the best way to insulate a garage door?

Typically the garage is the largest portion of the house that is not insulated and a lot of heat or cold air can be passed through it. Insulating the garage door is a great idea especially if you use your garage as a workshop.

There are several methods of insulating a garage door, but I only recommend two of them. One method of insulating a garage door is using a heavy polyethylene panel that is covered with a foil reflective barrier. The other is using polystyrene panels.

The advantage with this choice is you get a higher r-value. Both of these come in kits that you can purchase. I'll give you the steps in installing the polystyrene (sometimes called styrofoam) panels. These are designed to fit most 8 or 9 foot garage doors:

Tools needed:

Goggles
Utility Knife
Tape Measure
Straight Edge (used to make even cuts)

1. Measure your garage door to obtain it's width and height in order to purchase your materials.

2. Measure the distance between the vertical rails on the garage door. Using a straight edge, cut the panel to fit this opening. If the vertical rail has a space underneath it you will have to cut a strip of the panel to slide into that space.

3. The garage insulation panels will have a covered or laminated side used as a fire retardant. Make sure this side is facing away from the garage door. Carefully insert the polystyrene panel between the horizontal and vertical rails. They have a little bit of bend but be careful not to break them. Continue with this process until the entire garage door has been insulated.

Related Tips and Advice:

How Install Weatherstripping On A Garage Door
How To Insulate A Garage Ceiling
How To Insulate Garage Walls
How To Install A Radiant Barrier In A Attic

New Page 1